The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-04
CHARLESTON'S ODDITIES.
THE CITY COUNCIL APPARENTLY
VERY PECULIAR.

Monopoly Defeated by Refusals to
Allow Mains to be Laid-An Attempt
20 Prevent the Erection of a New
Building-A Base Ball Romance,
CHARLESTON, July Human nature is
s&id to be the same the world over--except
I'm Charleston where human nature seems
to have nothing in common with the ordi-
nary common, every day nature that per
vades the rest of the world This statement
at first sight would seem to be "A little queer,
but in reality it is not half as queer as a
great many things that occur in Charleston
to bear it out People have been called
eVil-minded, and envious, and malicious,
and wicked, for saying that Charleston is
surrounded by a Chinese wall, whose height
and impregnablity are as far beyond the
article which shuts out the Celestials from
the rest of the world MS the moon is above
and beyond a cake of green cheese; but
every now and then something occurs in
Charleston which proves that these state
ments have at least some foundation.
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE GAS MO
NoPOLY.
For instance the readers of the MORNING
NEWS are familiar with the struggle of the
people of Charleston against the huge gas
monopoly that has been gouging and crush
ing them almost from time immemorial.
They will remember that after the gas com
pany had crushed out several other gas
companies and one electric light company,
a new electric light company at length got
a foothold in the city. Soon as 1t lit its
lamps, the gas company applied to the City
Council for permission TO erect polls in the
streets to furnish electric light, and got it
at once-no questions asked. Then the cleo
tric light company applied for per
mission to open the streets to
lay down gas mains and didn't
get it, The electric light men then went to
work and got a new charter to furnish gas
and steam power and again applied for per-
mission to lay down mains. This petition
hung fire for some time like the other, but
the electric people insisted, like Mr.. Brass,
on having a categorical answer, and the an
swer was given at the last meeting of Coun-
Gil The committee to whom it was referred
couldn't see their way to granting the per
issiOn, and vet having granted the gas
company's petition they couldn't very well
see how TO refuse it. SO they compromised
with their consciences by recommending a
revocation of the permission granted to the
gas company and the refusal of the petition
of the electric light company. And the
City Council so ordained it, and not a man
i'll the community said yea or nay.
1t may be said here that some of the read
ers of the MORNING NEWS in Charleston
seem to be under the impression that this
correspondent has charged that the commit
tee of City Council have been influenced by
the money of the gas company. No such
statement was made, nor was any such in
situation intended What was said in this
correspondence, and what is true is that the
gas company by some means or other en-
tirely dominates the City Council. Political
and other influences are used and by these
means the gas octopus has managed therefore
to keep away all opposition The gas mo
nopoly does not spend money. 1t couldn't
if it desired. If money could he used in
the way indicated the gas company would
not enjoy the monopoly it now has.
oBsTRUCTING AN IMPROVEMENT
Instance No. Q A prominent dry goods
firm on King street, who invested 100000
in business ard real estate two days after
the Charleston earthquake-thus showing
their faith in the future of the city-have
recently pulled down their old establish
ment and given out a contract for the build
ing of what promises to be one of the hand
somest stores in the South. The front is to
be entirely of iron and French plate-glass,
and is to cost alone something in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 The feature of
the store is intended to he
solid plate-glass bow window,
extending from the second floor to the roof
of the building. An artist was brought
from Chicago to inspect the designs and TO
construct the front, and the building itself
is half finished already. 1t would scarcely
be believed, but it is actually true. that a
petition has been sent in TO City Council
protesting against permission being granted
to put up the building, and Council actually
received the petition and referred it to a
committee. OF a truth, there are some
queer people in Charleston
M'ELREE STILL ON DECK.
The McElree incident still continues TO alb
serb good deal of public attention. There
is something uncanny in the fight that Nc
Elree is making against the Mayor and
Board of Fire Masters. A good many peo-
pie, especially Charleston people, rather de-
light in seeing somebody pitched into, and
are apt TO lose sight of the main issue
McElree has charged all sorts of things
against the Mayor and Aldermen, because
they have decided to use n piece of public
property for public uses. Mr.. McElree has
SO worked up things that the pubic are
nearly losing sight of the fact that Mr. Nc
Elrees objection to the new engine houses
arises from the fact that he owns some ad-
jacent property which he thinks will be de
terloated in value if the engine houses are
built on the artesian lot. II isnow rumored
that Mr., McElree is about TO start new
paper, in which to carry on his war against
Council. All of which goes TO prove what
has already been said herein of the advant-
ages OF liberal use of printers ink.
BASE BALL ROMANCE.
A romantic incident indirectly connected
with the national game is being extensively
discussed i'll certain social circles here. Last
year when Charleston had her first intro
duction to base ball the people went very
nearly crazy. The ladies especially were
carried away with the game and the favor
lite players had baskets of roses and bou.
quets of eXotics handed up to them every
time they stepped up to the bat The play
ers were for time simply lionized The
admirers of weighing now with Philadel-
phia) presented him with a costly gold
watch and chain, and whenever a man
made home run he was presented with a
purse.
Two of the most popular of the nine were
Gilman and McAleer. II was said that
they were both students, who PLAYED ball in
the summer as recreation, and that Gill
man was tutor for McAleer. They were
very popular in a certain set and were
freely invited out to certain houses, where
they were lionized, especially by
the ladies. This year McAleer
is playing with Memphis, aud Gill
man with some Eastern club: the relations
of tutor and student having evidently been
dissolved. The romance, which was nipped
in the bud, occurred day or two since, but
has not yet found its way into the newspa-
pers. The story is that the festive Gilman
made mash, as they say, in the diamond.
The 'mash" was a VOunp lady of about